Paramander (Paladin Substitution Levels)

D&D 3e (3.0/3.5) Rules

by Clive Squire

Paramanders are warriors who have devoted themselves to the cause of good through the application of constructive magic, as taught by the Mighty Hand, Solinari. In exchange for total service, the Mighty Hand empowers the holy warrior, granting him the ability to cast arcane spells. At higher levels, all Paramanders are required to enter the Order of the White Robes.
Hit Dice: d10

Requirements

To take a Paramander substitution level, a character must be about to take his 2nd, 4th, and 6th level of paladin.

Class Skills

The Paramander substitution levels have the class skills as the paladin class plus the following: Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft (Int)
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are features of the Paramander substitution levels.
Combat Style (Ex): The Paramander is treated as having the Two-Weapon Fighting, even if he does not meet the prerequisites for it, as long as he is fighting with a dagger in one or both hands or using a quarterstaff.

This replaces the standard paladin class feature of lay on hands.

Spells: Each time a Paramander substitution level is taken, the Paramander gains access to arcane spells, which he can select from the wizard spell list, although he is forbidden from taken spells with an alignment descriptor opposed to his own alignment.

This ability functions exactly as the Spellcasting ability of the Clerist (see page 68 of the Knightly Orders of Ansalon), except as noted.

• Prepares and casts spells as if he was a wizard (see Table 3 – 18: The Wizard, page 55 of the Player's Handbook)
• Gains bonus spells for having a high Intelligence.
• Saving throw DC's are Intelligence based.
• Does not gain any other feature of the wizard class, such as bonus feats or a familiar.
• Effective wizard caster level equal to half his paladin level (rounded down) +2 for each Paramander substitution level gained after the first.
• Gains his spells only once per week, during a day of meditation and study of their spellbooks. The spells remain in place until the following week; every morning the spells refresh, but the selection does not change until the Paramander spends time in study.
• If a Paramander already has levels in wizard, he may instead add a number of levels to his wizard level (+3 per Paramander substitution up to a maximum equal to the number of paladin levels), for the purposes of caster level and spell per day (just as the Clerist may add them to a divine spellcasting class).
• The Paramander prepares and casts these spells the way a wizard does and begins with a spellbook containing a number of wizard spells equal the normal number of spells a wizard could cast of his level plus 1 per paladin level. These additional spells can be from any level the Paramander can cast from. At each new paladin level after 4th level the character attains, he gains 2 new spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new paladin level) for his spellbook. A Paramander may add spells found in other wizard's spellbooks to their Paramander spellbook.
• A Paramander that gains access to 2nd level arcane spells must take the Test and become a Wizard of High Sorcery (just as any other focused arcane spellcaster) before he gains 3rd level spells.

This replaces the standard paladin class feature of spellcasting. A Paramander never gains the normal divine spells of a paladin.

Armored Mage (Ex): The Paramander is better able to cast arcane spells whilst in armour than most other characters. The Paramander reduces the arcane spell failure chance of any armour by –10%.

This replaces the standard paladin class feature of turn undead. The Paramander never gains the turn undead ability.

Break Enchantment (Sp): The Paramander can produce a break enchantment effect, as the spell, once per week. He can use this ability one additional time per week for every three levels after 6th level he attains (2/week at 9th level, 3/week at 12th level and so on).

This replaces the standard paladin class feature of remove disease. The Paramander who selects this substitution level never gains the remove disease ability.

Multi-Classing Note: A paladin (Paramander) can free multi-class as a wizard without losing the ability to take additional levels in paladin. A paladin (Paramander) that gains 3rd level spells must take his Test and join one of the Orders of High Sorcery. He must still remain lawful good in order to retain his paladin abilities.

A multi-classed paladin that that has levels in wizard but has not reached 4th level as a paladin gains no benefit to arcane spellcasting until he has reached 4th level as a paladin and taken the 4th level Paramander substitution level.

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